Apparatus for improving the operation of apparatus subject to conditions of high pressure and temperature



Dec. 3, '1940.

R. H. S. ABBOTT I APPARATUS FOR IMPROVING THE OPERATION OF APPARATUSSUBJECT TO CONDITIONS OF HIGH PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE Filed April 27,1938 Patented Dec. 3, 1940 UNITED STATES APPARATUS FOR IMPROVING THEOPERA- TION 0F APPARATUS SUBJECT TO CON- DITIONS OF HIGH PRESSURE ANDTEM- PEBATURE Richard H. S. Abbott, Boston, Mass, assignor, by

mesne assignments, to de Muir Products Laboratorles Inc., Boston, Mass.,a corporation of Massachusetts Application April 27, 1938. Serial No.204,546

3' Claims. This invention relates to the treatment of apparatus, whichis subjected in serviceto fluids under conditions of change of pressureor temperature,'or both, with a view to improving its operation. Suchapparatus may be, for example, internal combustion engines, whetheroperated by gas, gasoline, oil, or other suitable fuel, air or gascompressers, ordnance, or the like, and more particularly, though notlimited thereto, apparatus wherein a cooling fluid is used to dissipatethe heatproduced, for example, by compression, combustion or explosion.

'This invention will .be more particularly described in its applicationto internal combustion engines, though it will be evident that it isapplicable wherever similar problems arise involving contact of fluidson surfaces, and temperature interchange through metal walls wheredimculties from corrosion or deposits on such surfaces or walls is to beanticipated. One of the primary causes of decrease in efficiency ofinternal combustion engines, for example, arises from the accumulationof a hard carbon scale within the combustion chamber, on the valves andthe valve seats, and in the piston ring grooves. Another factor, in thecase of water cooled engines, may

v be .-found in deposits of scale and corrosion in the cooling systemimpeding the circulation of the cooling water and causing inadequatecontact of the water with. the hot metal parts to 1 produce-satisfactorycooling. Analogous conditions may arise in connection with otherapparatus off'the types heretofore specified.

In accordance with the present invention the fluidscontacting with thepartsof the apparatus,

, 'these' parts themselves, and the normal relations between thesefluids and parts, or all of these, are so modified that there becomes atendency for carbon, scale and corrosion to leave the metal parts ratherthan to adhere thereto. This prevents the accumulation of such depositsand facilitates and ultimately tends to remove such deposits as havealready formed. Such modifications are effected in accordance with thisinvention by subjecting one or more of such fluids to the action ofcertain electrical fields, or disturbances which may be produced, aslater herein described, or such a nature that when such fluids arebrought into contact with apparatus parts, the desired relationtherebetween is established. These actions, resulting in disturbancesfrom normal relations are found to produce similar disturbances throughtransmission, induction or otherwise, from the normal relation of suchparts to other fluids in contact able instruments.

with neighboring faces. Certain apparatus by which these efl'ects may beproduced comprise one or more evacuated dielectric containers such asglass bulbs, each containing a substance such as mercury, capable ofgenerating statlc electrical charges with sudden discharges, by relativemovement of the material in contact with the container surface. The useof such apparatus per se in connection with fluids and containers is notclaimed herein, but forms the subject matter of my application forpatent Serial No. 139,447, filed April 28, 1937, for Method of andapparatus for treating fluids and surfaces in contact therewith. Whileother materials than mercury are capable of generating static chargesand discharges by frictional movement over the container surface,mercury and amalgams so high in mercury content as to move over thesurface in a similar manner to mercury have shown vastly superiorresults. Such apparatus when agitated sufficiently to produce suchrelative movement of the contents and the container surface produceselectrical disturbances in the nature of a sequence of abruptly varyingelectrical impulses outside of the container of an alternating oroscillatory nature capable of being recognized and measured by suit-Presence of small quantities of inert gases such as neon, argon,nitrogen, etc. in the container appear to increase the frequency anddecrease the amplitude of such disturbances and in general, at least inany amounts beyond a trace, are usually found undesirable. The-characterof the gaseous atmosphere within the bulb does, however, tend todetermine the ionization voltage producing radio frequency radiation.

The same or comparable effects maybe produced by other apparatus inwhich the energy for generating the electrical disturbances is derivedfrom other sources, as, for example, an outside source of high potentialelectrical power, rather than by mechanical agitation.

For a more complete understanding of this invention reference may be hadto the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view partly in section of an automobilecooling system radiator and hose connections showing an application ofthis invention.

Figure 2 is a cross section through a treating unit.

Figure 3 is a typical oscillograph record produced by agitating a unitsuch as that shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a cross section through another form of treating unit.

Figure 5 is a view partly in crosssection show-' ing one form of unitmounting. 5 Figure 6 is a view partly in side elevation and partly insection of another type of treating unit. Apparatus for accomplishingthe purpose of this invention may include a treating element or unit I!)shown separately in Figure 2. As shown, it comprises a container of bulbform l5 which is preferably of quartz glass or similar high meltingpoint glass which has extremely good dielectric properties. This bulb isprovided with a rarefied atmosphere and as shown contains a globule l6of mercury or mercury amalgam which, when the bulb is agitated, movesover the internal surface of the container and generates staticelectrical charges with sudden discharges within the container. Such arelative motion between the mercury and the wall of the bulb produceselectrical fields, emanations, or disturbances outside which are capableof being recognized and measured and which can be picked up by' aneighboring antenna and after amplification by vacuum tube amplifiersmay be caused to produce characteristic oscillograph records, one fwhich is illustrated in Figure 6. While records made from differentbulbs may show marked differences, records made from any one bulb are ofsurprising uniformity, showing disturbances of an oscillatory oralternating nature of definite periodicity and characteristic wave form.Apparently bulbs which are most effective in producing the desiredresults are those which are capable of producing oscillograph records ofgood amplitude and having steep wave fronts a as in Figure 3. Bulbswhich give. such oscillograph records are those which are made ofquartzglass, though high refractory 4o glasses such as those known to thetrade as Pyrex are almost equally as good. Other materials besidesmercury are effective to produce such disturbances but of those tested,mercury appears to be preeminently suitable, producing 45 disturbancesof greatest amplitude and steepest wave fronts. Extensive investigationshave led to the conclusion, however, that steep wave fronts per se arenot of controlling importance, but are associated with high maximumvoltage, 50 which appears to be an important factor. The

actions which appear to enter into the successful functioning of thisapparatus appear to reside in the radio frequency waves, static charges7 and discharges, and the radiation of gaseous 55 spectra produced bythe static discharge through the gases contained in the bulb.

When the electrostatic voltage within the bulb increases to a pointdetermined by the relationship between gas pressure and break-down vo1t-60 age, the ionization of the gas permits a discharge.

The characteristics of recurring charge and discharge are illustrated bythe oscillogram. Accompanying the discharge through the gaseousatmosphere within the bulb is the radiation of \55 radio frequency wavesgenerated as the result of gas discharge, 1. e. from sparks. Highfrequency oscillation of the electrons and ions are known to occur inthe region of an ionized gas .where electron and positive-ionconcentration 70 are approximately equal, and it is also kn wn that thefrequency of these oscillations is as high as 1200 megacycles. Thepresence of these radio frequency waves has been detected by theoscillograph, and has been shown to be continuous in 75 wave lengthsfrom the vicinity of live meters to over three thousand meters andpractically uniform in intensity.

When the bulb of this invention is agitated, the radio frequency wavesare modulated by the static charge and discharge characteristics. Theeffect of the electro-statlc field and certain radiations of the gaseousspectra is to reduce the surface tension of the liquids which tends tofree occluded Eases therefrom. This may be important in reducingcorrosion, oxygen being one of the gases ordinarily freed by thisaction. An effect of the rapidly recurring electro-static field and theradio frequencyv waves is their tendency to fiocculate colloidalparticles. This tends to throw out such particles as a fine sludge ormud instead of permitting them to crystallize out on the walls of theircontainers as a scale. There may also be other beneficial effects, thenature of which are at present obscure.

Another form of element is shown in Figure 4 in which a tube Ila, openfrom end to end for the passage of the fluid to be treated, extends.transversely through the bulb I? which contacts the mercury l8 in ararefied atmosphere.

Where an installation such as shown in Figure l is applied to anautomobile engine, the motion of the vehicle as it travels isamply'suflicient to produce the necessary relative motion of thecontainer or bulb and its contents, and where the fluid being treated isin motion somewhat resilient mounting of the containers permitssuflicient motion thereof from the motion of the fiuid itself. Not onlyis the fiuid treated so effected that the tendency of deposits to formon the surfaces in contact therewith is either eliminated or muchreduced, but in the case of metal surfaces there appears to be asurprising effect on the surface material itself such that the sameeffects are produced between other fiuids contacting with other portionsof the metal which tend to reduce or prevent encru'sting deposits fromsuch other fluids thereon. Thus the treatment of the cooling water ofthe internal combustion engine cooling system is found to have a usefulresult in tending to prevent the deposit of carbon in the combustionspaces of the engine and parts closely associated there-' with.Referring to Figure 1, there is shown at 40 an automobile engineradiator which is connected at top and bottom through the pipes 4| and42 and the hose connections 43 and 44 with the engine block as at 46 andthe pump connection at 47. Preferably one ormore units, such as i0, isheld in one or. both of these hose connections as by means of the springwire frames 48 carrying such units and having spring fingers engagingthe inner wall of the hose connection so as to hold these units inposition therein and insulated thereby from the metal portions of thecirculating system. The motion of the vehicle is sufiicient to give allthe motion needed between the mercury and the containers to produce thedesired results. The first noticeable effect from such an installationis the removal of the usual rust deposit about the throat of the'radiator at its upper end, this action gradually and corrosion from theengine exhaust pipes, such rust and corrosion becoming spongy andflaking off or being readily removable after some time I05, thenecessary magnitude depending. as in of operation of the apparatus.

In cases where insufllcient motion of the treating elements may beproduced in normal operation, as for. example, through the normalmotions of an automotive vehicle or the efiects of tation of the bulbs,it may be otherwise produced. I

. For example, comparable results may be obtained with the tube I afluid tight container.

by applying the energy in electrical form. An

apparatusfor accomplishing this is illustrated in Figure 6. 7

Referring to this figure, at I00 is shown a tube of glass, or the like,having its ends closedlas by bronze cover members IOI which may be,clamped together as by means of the bolts I02 to form end covers may beprovided with pipe connections, as at I03 and I04, through which thefluid may enter and flow out from the interior of the tube I00, it beingintended that this tube should be maintained full of fluid beingtreated, except for the presence of the treating element. The

treating element, as shown, comprises 'a bulbous container I05 ofquartz, glass or other suitable dielectric having sealed thereto thehigh potential leads I06 and I01. One of'these' leads, as I06, is placedin electrical connection with the fluid within the tube I00 as by thelead I08. The

other lead I01 within the container I05 is directed vone plate of, whichis formed by the mercury I09,

The voltage applied between the leads I00 and I01 must be suilicientlyhigh to insure ionization of the gaseous atmosphere within the containerThe the case of the agitated bulbs previously described, upon theconstituents and the pressure of the gaseous atmosphere. I

In operation of this mechanism the applica s tion of alternating orpulsating high potential between the leads I05 and I 01 causes rapidcharge 7 and discharge of voltage within the container and results inthe recurrent static charge and discharge eifects and the production ofradio frel0 quency waves as by the agitation of the bulbs previouslydescribed. The action of this apparatus is substantially identical withthe action of the mechanically agitated bulbs as previously described.

From the foregoing description -of'tlie' method" and certain structuresadapted to carry out this method, it should be recognized by thoseskilled iii-the art that various changes and modifications might be madewithout-departingfrom the spirit or scope of this invention as definedby-thelw appended claims;

I claim: V

1; The combination with a water cooled internal combustion engine and acooling water circulation system-comprising a radiator'and hoseconnections between said radiator and engine,

of a resilient holdersprung into one of said hose connections, and anevacuated dielectric bulb con- :taining mercury carried by said holderand about and in contact with which the water of said system flows. j

2. Mechanism comprising a water cooled apparatus and a cooling watercirculation system for said apparatus, said system comprising .a

' radiator and watergconnections between said radiator and apparatus, anevacuated dielectric bulb containing mercury, and means supporting saidbulb in said system in position for the water in said system to flowabout and in contact with 40 said bulb.

3. Mechanism comprising a water cooled apparatus and a cooling watercirculation system comprising a radiator and water connections betweensaid radiator and apparatus, of an evacuated. dielectric bulb containingmercury, means supporting said bulb for motion in said connections inposition for the water of said system to flow about and in contact withsaid bulb, and means for causing the flow of water in said sys- 5o temto move said bulb to cause movement of the mercury with respect to saidbulb.

RICHARD H. S. ABBOTT.

